Draft-driven generator.



No. 794,022. PATENTED JULY4, 1905. W. H. JORDAN.

DRAFT DRIVEN GENERATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MMM, 1905.

inmmnnmw QN Fatented july 1, 190g.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY JORDAN, OF HAYS, KANSAS.

DRAFT-DRIVEN GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,022, dated July 4, 1905.

Application filed March 8, 1905i. Serial No. 248,953. I

To (1J/Z whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY JORDAN,

-a citizen of the United States, and a resident ing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to engines, my more Vparticular object being to economize the draft thereof in such manner that when the draft is excessive it may be used to operate machinery, thus utilizing a certain amount of power otherwise wasted.

My invention is of peculiar value upon locomotives, where under certain conditions the draft requires to be frequently shut off.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the front portion of a locomotive-boiler equipped with my invention, certain parts appertaining to the latter being shown in horizontal section upon the line 1 1 of Fig. 2 looking' in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing my invention as applied to a boiler. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same upon the line 8 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow, the exhaust-nozzles 8 and the steam-pipe 9 being removed; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section through one of the electrically-heated flues 12.

The boiler-shell is shown at 5, the smokebox at 6, the smoke-stack at 7, the exhaustnozzle at 8, a steam-pipe at 9, and the union, designated by engineers as the niggerhead, at 10. The ordinary heating-fines are shown at 11, and at 12 are shown a few iues heated electrically. Each of these flues 12 is of metal and has a tubular form. Immediately within each of these fines is a jacket 12", of asbestos or other insulating material.

These flues 12 are provided with closure-plugs 13 for retaining the heat generated in them and also with cores 14, which may be of {ireclay or other refractory material. Each core is provided with a hole 15 coincident with its axis, as indicated in Fig. 4. A platinum K the hole 15.

wire 16 is coiled around each core 14 and is provided with a portion 17, extending through The several wires 16 17 are tapped upon iiexible connections 18 19 and disposed in parallel with each other, as indicated in Fig. 3. An electric generator 20, which may be of a type suitable for producing either alternating or direct currents, supplies current to the connections 18 19 and thence to the heating-wires 16 17, so as to raise the temperature of the flues 12.

Mounted upon the front portion of the boiler 5 are tracks 21, and movable relatively to these tracks is al platform 22, provided with wheels 23, which engage the tracks directly. A revoluble fan 24 is connected with the armatureshaft 25 of the generator 20, so as to actuate the armature when the fan is turned. Bearings 26 support the fan and the armatureshaft. The smoke-stack 7 is provided with an extension or hood 27, the latter having in opposite sides a pair of slots 28 parallel with the general direction of the boiler. By this arrangement the platform 21 can be moved forward or backward within certain limits, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the fan 24 may be partially exposed to the draft passing upward from the smoke-box 6 through the smoke-stack 7. A shifting rod 29 extends backward from. the device and may be operated by the engineer from his cab, so as to shift the position of the revoluble fan 24.

My device is used as follows: The upward draft from the smoke-box turns the fan 24, thereby actuating the armature-shaft` 25 of the generator 2O and causing the current to flow through the connections 18 19 and to heat the flues 12. These iiues are auxiliary to the ordinary heating-fines 11 and serve to increase the heat of the water in the boiler. As is well known by railway engineers, there are times when the draft is excessive and is diflicult to keep within bounds. Of course the engineer can shut otf the draft entirely; but it is difficult to regulate it with the nicety sometimes required. In running along a level or down a grade the draft oftentimes becomes a great nuisance, and yet' the engineer does not feel inclined to shut it off entirely. In

such eases he can by using the shifting rod IOO *remesa 2) move the fan 2st into the general position indicated in Fig. 2, thereby causing,` the fan to be acted upon by the draft. The result is that the draft need not be sluit oill entirely and that more or less power otherwise ,eroine` to waste can be utilized so as to heat the boiler, and thus be available for use afterward. 'lhe device thus effects an economy of coal. it will be understood, ofcourse, that the engineer is not obliged to use the fan 24C except under conditions where he desires to apply a limited draft, so as to keep the lire in proper condition, but still linds itdiliicultto regulate this draft in the usual manner. The principle of economy underlying' the use of the fan is the fact that under certain conditions when the draft is in action a considerable amount of power is wasted in suddenly throwing' into motion enormous volumes of air immediately over the smoke-stack. My idea is instead of using;` the waste power of the engine to throw this air into violent motion to use a portion of the power for heatingv the boiler. By means of this arrangement the waste of the exhaust is delivered to heat the water in the part of the boiler which is otherwise only dead space. Further, by deliveringr the heat near the bottom of the boiler circulation is promoted.

vl-.Iaving' thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentm l. The combination of a fan, a generator connected. therewith and adapted to produce an electric current, and means for directing against said fan the exhaust-gases from an engine.

2. In a locomotive provided with an exhaust, the combination of motor mechanism provided with a revoluble member, and means controllableat will for shifting said revolublc member into and out of the path of said exhaust.

3. The combination of a locomotive provided with a draft having' a definite path, a revoluble member adapted to be partially disposed within said path and also adapted to turn in consequence of said draft, means controllable at will for shifting' the position of said revoluble member, an electric generator connected with said revoluble member and actuated thereby, and means for utilizing the current produced by said electric generator.

4. rlhe combination of a smoke-box, a smokestack mounted thereupon and provided with a hood, a fan mounted within said hood and adapted to project into said smoke-sta( :k, means controllable will for shifting the position of said fan relatively to said hood and to said smoke-stack, and mechanism connected with said fan and actuated thereby for utilizing the power produced thereby.

5. The combination of a smoke-stack proh vided with a hood, said hood having' oppositelydisposed slots, a fan disposed within said hood and adapted to project partly within said smoke-stack so as to be actuated by the exhaust therefrom, an electric generator connected with said fan, means for shifting' the position of said fan and of said electric generator. and an electrically-heated flue con nccted with said generator and energized thereby.

6. The combination of a locomotive provided with tracks, a i'ilatform mounted upon said tracks and movable relatively thereto, a revoluble fan supported upon said platform, an electric generator likewise supported upon said platform, said generator being' actuated by movements of said fan, means controllable at will for shifting the position of said platform, and electrical heating mechanism con nected with said `generator.

1n testimony whereof l. have si goed my name to this speci lication in the presence of two sub-- scribing witnesses.

VILLIAM HENRY JORDAN.

VitneSses:

J. U. GATUDAL, CII/is. YV. Mumien, Jr. 

